[debian-mysql] Bug#597861: copyright file

[Nicholas Bamber]

tag 597861 +confirmed
retitle 597861 need automated update for copyright
thanks

>>> I personally would add
>>> 4.) Check that the debian/copyright is all good, DEP-5 and lintian
>>> clean.
>>
>> Note that I did an *exhaustive* rebuilding of the entire debian/copyright
>> file when I first packaged 5.5. I have a patch for licensecheck2dep5 to
>> make it build a copyright file more like the one that is there. I hope
>> to get those into Debian at some point so we can use them to build dep5
>> (or whatever its called now) copyright files automatically.
>
> Yes I noticed it was in reasonable order. I do have some issues however.
> 1.) I mean to check #597861.
> 2.) lintian reports some issues with copyright
> 3.) we are on an old version of DEP-5. Upgrade is required as part of
> Debian Perl policy 3.9.3.
> 4.) I feel the need to check whether the public domain bits are
> expressed correctly.
>
>>
>> Until then, I hope to add some checking in debian/rules that will help
>> us identify when licensecheck thinks there are any changes that we might
>> need to make to debian/copyright. Seems like this would be a useful
>> thing for all packages to have actually.
>
> Yes this would be very good.
>

I have checked in some cleanups for the copyright. I believe these are 
quite likely to be one off's and that at least in principle Clint's 
automated rebuild of copyright would fix them. Given the possibility of 
automating management of this file, I did not see any reason to touch 
the substance of #597861. Instead I am broadening the scope.

I am sure it does not need my pointing out that the copyright file needs 
to be a static  file and its regeneration appears to depend on the 
internet to obtain the FLOSS exception. So putting it in debian/rules 
simply implies that is a convenient place rather than it should be pat 
of the build.